Saddle.



No. 630,266. Patented Aug. l, I899. H. A. PERRY.

SADDLE.

(Application filed Nov. 4, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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SADDLE.

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No. 630,266 Patented Aug. I, I899. H. A. PERRY.

SADDLE (App Heatin filed Nov. 4, 1897.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNrrnD STATES IIARRY ALONZO PERRY,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,266, dated August1, 1899.

Application filed November 4, 1897. Serial No. 657,337. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I,HARRY ALONZO PERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, andefficient saddle so constructed and arranged as to be readily assembledor taken apart for purposes of repair or renewal.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of abicycle-saddle constructed in accordance with my improvements, lookingat it from the top. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking at it from thebottom with a portion of the bottom plates broken away; Fig. 3, a sideelevation of a saddle constructed in accordance with my improvements;Fig. 4, a plan view of the base-plate, looking at it from the bottom;Fig. 5, a plan view of the upper side of the securing-plate; Fig. 6, aplan view of the lower side of the inner inflatable bag; Fig. 7, anenlarged sectional elevation of the rear portion of the saddle, taken onthe line 7 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8, a longitudinal sectional elevation ofa portion of the saddle, taken on the line 8 of Fig. 1.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that one ofthe difficulties encountered in the manufacture and usage of saddlescontaining pneumatic or other cushions is due to the fact that suchsaddles are provided with a leather cover, which has been sewed orotherwise permanently secured to some other part of the saddle, makingit expensive to assemble the parts initially and difficult to remove thecover and to disassociate the parts for purposes of repair or renewal.

The principal object of my invention therefore is to remove theseobjections and to provide a saddle which may be constructed or repairedeconomically, which may be taken apart for the inspection or renewal ofparts, and which will act in a simple and eflicient manner.

In constructinga saddle in accordance with my improvements I make abase-plate A of the desired shape, size, and strength and provide it ator near its lateral edges with a flanged portion or portions a, bentsubstantially at right angles and preferably downwardly from the mainportion of the plate. This base-plate is preferably provided with acentral aperture or opening a, across which a connecting-rib a joins theparts together.

A cover B, preferably formed of leather, is

provided and cut in substantially the same shape as the base-plate. Thiscover is provided with a central opening or openingsb and secured to thebase-plate at or near its central portion by means of a plate (1, whichis preferably riveted, though it may be other- Wise secured, to thebase-plate or dispensed with, if desired. This cover is made of such asize that its lateral edges 1) may be folded under and around theannular flange of the base-plate. A supplementary plate D is provided ofsubstantially the same shape as the base-plate and provided at itslateral edge or edges with corrugations or teeth (Z, preferably bent atan angle to the main portion, so that such supplementary plate may belaid underneath the.base-plate and contiguous thereto, as is shown inFig. 7, so that its teeth contact the intu-rned edges of the leathercover and act to hold such cover firmly in position. This plate need notbe made practically imperforated, as shown in the drawings, but may becut away for economy of weight, if desired. 7 To firmly secure and holdthe different parts of the saddle together, bolts E, E, and E areprovided, which extend from the main baseplate down through thesecuring-plate, having their headed portions inside the base-plate orbetween such base-plate and the cover. A spring G, which may be used asthe saddlespring, is also secured to the securiug-p1ate by means ofthese bolts and nuts, so that when such bolts and nuts are tightened itacts to secure the cover, base, and securingplates together and to thesupporting saddlespring.

A proper cushion is provided andin'serted between the upper portion ofthe base-plate and the inner portion of the cover to properly fill suchspace and afford a yielding resistance to the rider, so as to, minimizethe shock and jar incident to riding. A plan View of this cushionis'shown in Fig. 6, and consists in a main portion H, having a pommelportion it and rear portions h h and preferably h and h, formed by meansof the transverse and longitudinal slits 71, and h These slits are fortwo purposes, which will be apparent when the assembling of the saddleis taken into consideration. When an ordinary cushion is used, theyserve the purpose of allowing the cushion to be inserted after the coveris put in position-that is, after the central securing-plate C isriveted to the base-plate and the cover the cushion may be inserted,thereby making it economical to handle the parts and rivet them togetherwithout being encumbered by the addition of other portions. The slittingof the cushion in this way also serves to permit the removal of thecushion without separating the central securing-plate from thebase-plate or cover. When a pneumatic cushion is used, the shape shownin Fig. 6 is serviceable for two purposes--first, to enable the cushionto be inserted or removed without disassociating the cover from thebase-plate, and, second, to limit the expansibilty of the rubber bag orprevent undue distention of the same, which will act or tend to keep thecushion or saddle in the normal or desired position. In the assemblingof the parts the cushion is placed in position after the centralsecuring-plate is riveted to the base-plate. A small amount of stickemor tire-cement may be used after the cushion is placed in position tojoin the cushion together where it is slit and also to secure it to thebase-plate, if desired. The saddle-cushion when formed in a pneumaticmanner is provided with a stem and valve I, preferably in the pommel orforward portion thereof, so that air may be distributed to the diiferentportions as economically as possible.

When assembling the parts, the leather cover is first riveted orotherwise secured at its central portion to the base-plate by means ofthe central plate. The bolts E, E, and E are next placed in position.The cushion is next inserted in place and its slitted portions cementedtogether and to the base-plate. The lateral edges of the cover are nextturned inwardly and the securing-plate forced into po- 'sition. The saddle-spring is next placed in position and the nuts for the bolts placedover the springs in threaded engagement with the bolts and firmlysecured together, thus securing all of the parts of the saddle together.When it is necessary to repair the saddle or remove the inner cushionfor renewal, all that is necessary is to remove the nuts on thesecuring-bolts, take off the spring and securing-plate, and remove thecushion and repair it or renew it, as the case may be.

The principal advantages due to a saddle constructed as outlined aboveand shown in the drawings are, first, that the saddle may be constructedeconomically, in that all sewing is dispensed with second, it dispenseswith several old parts, thereby necessitating less material and reducingthe initial expense, and, third, the saddle may be repaired and theparts put together without the necessity for disassociating all of theparts due to the fact that all of the parts that it is necessary todisassociate can be taken apart quickly and economically.

The construction of cushion is one which furnishes a continuouspressure-chamber for the pommel and wing portions, with an unrestrictedpassage-way from one portion to the other of such chambers, by whichequality of pressure is assured and constantly maintained throughout theentire cushion. It will also be seen that a cushion havinga separable ordivided rear portion is formed by the longitudinal slit which, whilepermitting the insertion of the cushion, does not produce or cause anybreak in the continuity of the seating-surface, as such surface remainsintact when the cushion is in position, owing to the fact that the Wingportions on the separatingline are in contact and directly sustain eachother, giving the full benefit of an uninterrupted seating-surface forthe rear portion of the cushion.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness asregards details as being embodied in certain precise forms and as beingadapted to certain specific classes of saddles, I do not desire to belimited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. Onthe contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in construction, form,and arrangement, the omission of immaterial ele ments and thesubstitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or necessityrender expedient.

I claim- 1. In a saddle, the combination of a baseplate provided with adownwardly-directed flange or rim, a flexible cover having its edgesbent over the flange or rim of the baseplate and extended inwardlytherefrom along the bottom of the base-plate a desired distance when inposition for use, an independent supplementary plate provided withupwardly-directed serrations or teeth around its edges adapted to fitwithin the flange or rim of the base-plate and bear upon theinwardly-extended edges of the cover and clamp or hold them against thebottom of the base-plate when in position for use, and an inflatablecushion interposed between the cover and the base-plate, substantiallyas described.

2. In a saddle, the combination of a baseplate provided with adownwardly-directed flange or rim, a flexible cover having its edgesbent over the flange or rim of the base-plate and extended inwardlytherefrom along the bottom of the base-plate a desired distance when inposition for use, an independent supplementary plate adapted to liewithin the flange or rim of the base-plate and bear upon theinwardly-extended edges of the cover and clamp or hold them against thebottom of the baseplate when in position for use, means for detachablysecuring the base-plate and the supplementary plate together, and aninflatable cushion interposed between the cover and the base-plate,substantially as described;

3. In a saddle, the combination of a baseplate provided with adownwardly-directed flange or rim, a flexible cover having its edgesbent over the flange or rim of the base-plate and extending inwardlytherefrom along the bottom of the base-plate a desired distance when inposition for use, an independent supplementary plate provided withupwardly-directed serrations or teeth around its edges adapted to fitWithin the flange or rim of the base-plate and bear upon theinwardly-extended edges of the cover and clamp or hold them against thebottom of the base-plate when in position for use, means for detachablysecuring the base-plate and the supplementary plate together, and aninflatable cushion interposed between the cover and the base-plate,substantially as described.

4:. In a saddle of the class described, the combination of a base-plateprovided with a central aperture or apertures, and a flanged rim, acover portion provided with an aperture or apertures and having itsedges passed underneath the flanged rim, a metallic piece for securingthe cover and base-plate together at or near their central portions, asupplementary plate provided with serrated or notched edges for holdingthe cover and baseplate together, a bolt-and-nut mechanism for securingthe base and supplementary plates together, and a pneumatic cushioninserted between the cover and the base-plate provided with alongitudinal slit in its rear portion to permit the removal or insertionof such cushion without disturbing the relation of the cover andbase-plate at their central portions, substantially as described.

5. In a saddle of the class described, the combination of an inflatablecushion' provided with transverse and longitudinal slits forming tworearwardly-extending wing portions to permit the removal or insertion ofthe cushion into or out of its place of use, and a narrow pommel portionuniting the wing por tions soas to" form a single air-cushionsubstantially as described.

6. In a saddle, the combination of a base= plate provided with adownwardly-directed flange or rim, a flexible cover havingits edges bentover the flange or rim of the base-plate and extended inwardly therefromalong the bottom of the base-plate a desired distance when in positionfor use, an independent sup plementary plate adapted to lie within theflange or rim of the base-plate and bear upon the inwardlyextended edgesof the cover and clamp or hold them against the bottom of the base-platewhen in position for use, means for detachably securing the base-plateand the supplementary plate together, and an inflatable cushion providedwith a longitudinal slit forming two rearwardly-extending wing portionsto permit the removal or insert-ion of the cushion into or out of itsplace of use without disturbing the relation of cover and base-plate attheir central portions and with a narrow pommel portion uniting the wingportions so as to form a single air-cush= ion, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a saddle of the class described, the combination of a baseportion, a cover p0rtion, and an inflatable cushion consisting ofanarrow pommel portion and two rearwardly extended and separated wingportions having a continuous pressure-chamber for the three portionswith an unobstructed passageway from one portion to the other of thechambers, whereby equality of pressure is constantly maintainedthroughout the cushion as a whole and a separable or divided rearportion is provided the wing portions of which directly sustain eachother on the separatingline when the cushion is in place, maintain ingthe seating-surface intact, substantially as described.

HARRY ALONZO PERRY. Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS E. MoGREGoR.

